ZST
Encyclopedia
ZST is a Japan
-based promoting and sanctioning organization of mixed martial arts
(MMA), and it also holds amateur MMA events. ZST adopts unique rules in the MMA industry. Much like RINGS, strikes to head on the ground are prohibited. Furthermore, fighters are not allowed to close the guard, gloves are optional - if a fighter chooses not to wear gloves, he is only allowed to use open hand techniques much like early RINGS and Pancrase
matches. Much like Muay Thai
, music is played throughout the duration of the bout. There are no judges or decisions, except in Grand Prix events. ZST also holds tag-team MMA matches from time to time.
rule in the early age11.23 ディファ：ヤノタク、純朴なリトアニア人コンビを挑発 11.23 Differ Ariake: Takumi Yano provokes the naive Lithuanian pair BoutReview: 2002-11-22. Reverted: 2008-9-24..
and Remigijus Morkevicius
, Mindaugas Stankos
.
On May 17 2008, ZST announced a major partnership with DEEP. The partnership will allow the two organizations to co-promote shows, share fighters and eventually unify the organizations.
and holding which impedes bouts are prohibited. GT-F came from "Grappling Tournament - Featherweight".
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
-based promoting and sanctioning organization of mixed martial arts
Mixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
(MMA), and it also holds amateur MMA events. ZST adopts unique rules in the MMA industry. Much like RINGS, strikes to head on the ground are prohibited. Furthermore, fighters are not allowed to close the guard, gloves are optional - if a fighter chooses not to wear gloves, he is only allowed to use open hand techniques much like early RINGS and Pancrase
Pancrase
Pancrase is a mixed martial arts promotion company founded in Japan in 1993 by professional wrestlers Masakatsu Funaki and Minoru Suzuki. Pancrase is taken from Pankration, a sport in the ancient Olympic games. Suzuki and Funaki are particularly skilled in the art of catch wrestling and based the...
matches. Much like Muay Thai
Muay Thai
Muay Thai is a combat sport from Thailand that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques. It is similar to other Indochinese kickboxing systems, namely pradal serey from Cambodia, tomoi from Malaysia, lethwei from Myanmar and muay Lao from Laos...
, music is played throughout the duration of the bout. There are no judges or decisions, except in Grand Prix events. ZST also holds tag-team MMA matches from time to time.
Before establishment
On September 22, 2002, Caesar Takeshi ,the president of Shoot boxing Association(SBA), and Koki Hioki, representative of ZST, had a conversation after the shoot boxing event, and they announced that SBA supports ZST. For this reason, ZST promoted some metches under shoot boxingShoot boxing
Shoot boxing is both a combat sport and a stand-up fighting promotion company based in Tokyo, Japan. The organization was founded by former kickboxer Caesar Takeshi in 1985....
rule in the early age11.23 ディファ：ヤノタク、純朴なリトアニア人コンビを挑発 11.23 Differ Ariake: Takumi Yano provokes the naive Lithuanian pair BoutReview: 2002-11-22. Reverted: 2008-9-24..
First event
The first ZST event "The Battle Field ZST Opening Event" was arranged on November 23 2002 in Tokyo, and it has since experienced a dramatic increase in popularity possibly in large part due to their highly different rule format. In this event, not only usual MMA matches but MMA tag match also was hold among Takumi Yano, Masakazu ImanariMasakazu Imanari
is a Japanese mixed martial artist best known for his leglocks. He fights out of Team Roken in Kanagawa, Japan. He currently has a professional MMA record of 24–9–2 with notable victories over Danny Batten, Jorge Gurgel, Mike Brown, Robbie Olivier, Jean Silva and Yoshiro Maeda. He is a veteran...
and Remigijus Morkevicius
Remigijus Morkevicius
Remigijus Morkevičius is a Lithuanian mixed martial artist and kickboxer. He has fought for the Lithuanian branch of RINGS, ZST, and K-1 World MAX.- Career and biography :...
, Mindaugas Stankos
.
ZST GP
On November 23 2003, "ZST GP Opening" was hold in Tokyo.On May 17 2008, ZST announced a major partnership with DEEP. The partnership will allow the two organizations to co-promote shows, share fighters and eventually unify the organizations.
ZST Rule
Bouts consist of three rounds with a rest period of one and a half minutes. The first and second rounds are five minutes in duration and the third round is three minutes in duration, but the third round is a extra round. Punches, elbow strikes, knees and kicks are allowed to the head and body when both fighters are standing. On the ground punches, elbow strikes, knees and kicks are only allowed to the body. Bouts are not judged. In the event that the bout goes the full time, the bout is ruled a draw.Grappling rule (GT-F Rule)
Bouts consist of two rounds with a rest period of one and two minutes. The first and second rounds are five minutes in duration. The positioning is not regarded for scoring as important factor and any motions including clinchingClinching
Clinching may refer to:* Clinching , a method of fastening sheet metal together* Clinching position, a grappling position.* Clinching , To bend and hammer the protruding point of a nail so it cannot be removed....
and holding which impedes bouts are prohibited. GT-F came from "Grappling Tournament - Featherweight".
Events
ZST holds various types of events depending on their theme.- ZST
- The main events held regularly under ZST rule for the top contenders.
- ZST GP
- The tournament events under KOK rule. The events are divided to twice.
- Battle Hazard
- The events focusing the matches which are not under ZST rule.
- GT-F
- The tournament events of grapplingGrapplingGrappling refers to techniques, maneuvers, and counters applied to an opponent in order to gain a physical advantage, such as improving relative position, escaping, submitting, or injury to the opponent. Grappling is a general term that covers techniques used in many disciplines, styles and martial...
.
- The tournament events of grappling
- Genesis
- The opening matches of ZST and Battle Hazard for the fresh professional contenders.
- SWAT!
- The events focusing the fresh professional contenders who currently participate Genesis matches. It holds "Genesis tournament" every year, and it is an actual freshmen tournament.
- Pre Stage
- The events of grappling for the amateur contenders.
Weight division
ZST sets 11 weight divisions.| Weight division | Weight | No. | Name of Champion | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Absoluteweight | No limit | - | Vacant | - |
| Super heavyweight | above 100kg | - | Vacant | - |
| Heavyweight | from 90 to less than 100kg | - | Vacant | - |
| Cruiserweight | from 85 to less than 90kg | - | Vacant | - |
| Light heavyweight | from 80 to less than 85kg | - | Vacant | - |
| Middleweight | from 75 to less than 80kg | - | Vacant | - |
| Welterweight | from 70 to less than 75kg | - | Vacant | - |
| Lightweight | from 65 to less than 70kg | - | Vacant | - |
| Featherweight | from 60 to less than 65kg | - | Vacant | - |
| Bantamweight | from 55 to less than 60kg | 1st | Keisuke Fujiwara Keisuke Fujiwara Keisuke Fujiwara is a Japanese mixed martial artist with a background in kickboxing.-Kickboxing:... |
 JapanJapan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |
| Flyweight | less than 55kg | 1st | Ryosuke Tanuma | Japan Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |